Lifting-jack



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LIFTING JVAGK. y No.4564',445. Patented July 21,r 1896.

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M. M. MOORE. Y LIPTING- JACK. No. 564,445.` Patented July 21, 1896.

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' M. M MUORE. LIPTINGJAGK. No. 564,445. Patented July 21, 1896.Y

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NITED STATES ATENT i-llrfrnicn.

MOSES IWI. MOORE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LIFTING-JAC K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,445, dated uly 21,1896.

Application tiled October 1, 1895. Serial No. 564,271. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MOSES M. MOORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Lifting-Jacks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon thelifting-jack invented by falter S. McKinney and forming the subject-matter of an application for Letters Patent filed in the UnitedStates Patent Office February 27, 1895, and bearing Serial No. 539,913.

My object is to provide a greatly simplified mechanism for the graduallowering of the lifting-bar in said jack and also to improve in mattersof detail the mechanism pro vided for the sudden dropping of saidlifting-bar.

My further Objectis to provide an attachment for lifting-jacks whereby,for instance, a car-wheel may be held in place upon the rail while onepart of the truck is raised from its resting place to allow of theremoval of the brasses from the journal-box.

To the above ends my improvement consists in the combination of partsand details of construction hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a View in broken sectionalelevation of a lifting-jack provided with a portion of my improvementsand showing the device in operation to gradually lower the lifting-bar;Fig. 2, a section taken on line 2 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the directionof the arrow; Fig. 3, a detached view of the loosely-mounted armcarrying a spring which serves to trip the retaining device; Fig. 4, adetached view of the loosely-mounted spring-held arm, affording a camwhich serves to guide the lever-operated pawl in the operation ofgradually lowering the lifting-bar; Fig. 5, a detached view of thelever-operated pawl which serves to engage the lifting-bar in raisingit; Fig. 6, a section taken on line 6 of Fig. 1, showing my combinedhandle and tripping device; Figs. 7 and 8, details of construction ofthe same; Fig. 9, a view of a jack provided with an attachment forbearing down onthe wheel when a car-truck is to be raised; and Fig. 10,a section taken on line 10 of Fig. 9 and viewed as indicated by thearrow, showing the mode of fasteningithe attachment to the jack.

A is the standard, which serves to carry the operative parts, and B thelifting-bar, provided with a head z, foot y, and ratchet-teeth 0c, andarranged to slide in the standard in the usual manner.

A pawl C, normally in engagement with the lifting-bar B, under theaction of a spring w, which is secured to the standard by a pin o, isoperated indirectly from the hand-lever D through the medium of acompound-lever system.

Thehand-lever D is provided at each side of its lower end with alaterally-projecting lug u, on each of which is pivoted a link E.

Thelinks E are in turn provided with laterally-projecting lugs t, whichcarry links F, pivotally mounted toward their lower ends upon a shaft sin the standard. The links E are joined together by a cross-pin r, whichis not in line with the lugs t, their relation being shown bythe fulland dotted lines in 1.

The toggle-lever system above described is fullyvset forth and claimedin the application above referred to. Its operation is brietlyasfollows: XVhen the hand-leverD is inoved in the upward direction, itiiexes the toggle-lever consisting of the side projections u and linksE, and through the latter fleXes the togglelever consisting of the linksF and pawl C, whereby the latter is drawn in a downward direction toengage a tooth a: of the liftingbar B. Downward movement of thehandlever D extends the said toggle-levers,where by the pawl C raisesthe lifting-bar.

Cr is a retaining device consisting of a bellcrank lever pivotablymounted on a crossshaft and having one arm'lc, and another arm 7a2,which is in turn provided with a projection las and teeth for engagingthe ratchet-bar. lThe retaining device G is held normally in engagementwith the lifting-bar by a spring q, though it may be so held inengagement therewith by the action of gravity upon a counterweight e,and for use on lifting-jacks where the gradual lowering device is notessential I prefer such a construction. In some instances I so providethat either or both forms may be used in the same jack.

His a more or less horizontally-disposed IOO arm mounted upon aneccentric-pin 19, carried by a short rocking disk or shaft J, journaledin the standard and readily rotated by means of a suitablerigidly-attached thumb-piece K, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

I is a vertically-disposed arm pivoted to the standard at n, andaffording a cam-surface m, and provided with a spring m', under whoseaction the arm is forced forward to assume a perpendicular, but againstwhich the a-rm may be forced back and secured during the raising of thelifting-bar, by means of a suitable locking device l on the arm H.

The arm 7c on the bell-crank lever G aords a lever to receive the actionof the spring Z', which serves, under conditions hereinafter stated, tounlock the retaining device G to permit of the gradual lowering of theliftingbar B.

To serve as a handle for lifting the jack and also as a means fortripping the retaining device, I provide the following construction: Apin d extends laterally through the standard near its top and projectsbeyond the sides thereof. Upon, this pin loosely lits a sleeve i, havinga projection or finger e, and suitably recessed at one end to receive anangular headh, made annular to iit loosely on the pin d, and projectingthrough an enlarged opening in the standard (at which part the head isof circular cross-section) and carrying a lever-arm 7i'. Upon theprojecting ends of the pin CZ is loosely mounted a yoke-handle M,provided with a sliding collar h2, by means of which the lever-arm 7L'may be rigidly secured to the handle to swing therewith. The projectionk3 on the bell-crank lever G is in the path of the finger z" on thesleeve fr', whereby when the arm h' is secured to the yokehandle M bymeans of the sliding collar h2 and the yoke is swung upward theretaining device is swung clear of the teeth on the ratchet-bar.

The arm H is kept from falling below the horizontal at any time bya pinp', projecting inward from the standard upon which it rests near itsfree end, while the lug Z, which serves as a locking means to hold thevertically-disposed arm I clear from interference when the eccentric 1Jis at its extreme backward throw, is also adapted to be engaged by a luggV on the pawl C when the eccentric is at the forward end of its throw,as in its position for gradually lowering the lifting-bar.

N is an attachment which may be used in combination with the jack tohold the carwheel on the track when the truck is raised to allow thebrass of the journal to be slipped out, as well as for other purposes.The attachment N comprises a bifurcated head l),

adapted to bear against the back of the standard and havingclamping-prongs b' and an extended portion b2, adapted to bear upon theflange of acar-wheel. The standard A is provided at its sides withflanges a, which, with the back face of..the standard, furnish thebearing-surfaces upon which the attachment N slides for verticaladjustment thereon. j

The operation is as follows: To raise the lifting-bar, the eccentric pis moved to its position nearest the lifting-bar. In the movement thelug l engages the arm I, forcing it back and carrying the cam-surface onaway from the pawl C. The effect is to leave both the pawl O and theretaining device G, under the action of their springs, free to engagethe lifting-bar B. Obviously, now the lifting-bar will be raised whenthe hand-lever D is moved down, while the lifting-bar will be held bythe retaining device G during the return movement of the lever. To lowerthe lifting-bar gradually, the eccentric p is moved to its extremeforward throw, as shown in Fig. l. This allows the arm I to be forcedforward by its spring m', so that the cam-surface m will contact withand guide the lug g on the pawl C in its movement. When the hand-lever Dis in its raised position, the retaining device G is in engagement withthe lifting-bar,while the pawl C is held out of engagement by the cam m.As the hand-lever D moves down the projection g on the pawl C bears upunder the boss l on the arm H. The effect is gradually to increase thetension in the spring Z', and by the time the pawl C finally engages thelifting-bar, after having been carried over one tooth by the cam, thetension in the spring Z exceeds that in the spring q, and when theweight of the lifting-bar is transmitted through the pawl C theretaining device at once rocks forward under its superior resilience.IThe hand-lever D may then be raised to allow the bar to descend. Theconsequent downward rocking of the arm H relieves the tension in thespring Z', until its action is overcome by that of the spring q, whenthe retaining device is again forced into engagement with thelifting-bar. The operation can then be repeated.

To allow the lifting-bar to drop, the pawl C is pulled forward by thehandle f and held in that position against the resistance of the springw. Any suitable catch may be provided, if desired, to hold the pawl C inthis position, and thus leave the hand free after the pawl has beendrawn forward. The sliding collar h2 is then moved down to make the armh rigid with the handle M. If the handle M be now raised, the finger ilon the sleeve t' engages the projection k3 on the retaining device, whena sudden jerk will free the latter from the bar, allowing it to drop. Ifthe sliding collar h2 be moved back to its former position, theyoke-handle is free to be moved to a vertical position to serve to liftor carry the jack.

Vhen the jack is to be used in relieving a car-wheel of its weight toallow the bushing to be removed from the axle-box, it is desirable touse the attachment B to keep the IOO IIO

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Wheel from rising with the truck. To this end the attachment is adjustedto cause the projecting portion b2 to bear down upon the outer iiange ofthe car-wheel just above the point where the tread portion is in contactwith the rail.

It is evident that many minor changes within. the spirit of my inventionmaybe made. Hence I do not limit myself in all particulars to the exactconstruction here shown. For instance, it is sometimes desirable to makethe retaining device in two independent parts, providing one with teethwhose height correspond to those on the lifting-bar, while the other1has teeth of half the height. This would allow iiner adjustment in theheight of the lifting-bar; also, while I prefer such an adjustment ofthe springs and parts of the gradual lowering mechanism that, when it isin use, the lifting-bar shall be lowered to the extent of one notch ateach upward movement of the hand-lever, yet they may be so adjusted asto allow the bar to be lowered more rapidly, if desired.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a lifting-jack, the combination with a standard, a ratchetlifting-bar, a pawl normally in engagement with the lifting-bar, levermechanism for raising the lifting-bar through the medium of the pawl,and a pivoted retaining device normally in engagement with thelifting-bar, of mechanism for permitting the dropping of thelifting-bar, consisting of means for withdrawing said pawl fromengagement with said lifting-bar, an accessible bell-crank leverengaging with the retaining device to retract it, and a yoke-handleadapted to be joined to said bell-crank lever to trip the retainingdevice, and to be swung to a vertical position for use in lifting andtransporting the jack, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a lifting-jack, cornprising a standard, a ratchetlifting-bar, a spring-actuated pawl normally in engagement with thelifting-bar, lever mechanism for raisin g the liftin g-bar through th emedium of the pawl, and a retaining device in the form of a bell-cranklever normally in engagement with the lifting-bar for holding the latterin its raised position, mechanism for gradually lowering the lifting-bar by the operation of the hand-lever, consisting of a deiiector,operating to cause the pawl in its upward movement to clear a tooth ofthe lifting-bar and engage another, and a spring adapted to engage anarm of the retaining device and be compressed by the said pawl duringits upward movement thereby retracting the retaining device and freeingthe liftingbar to permit it to be carried down to the eX- tent at leastof one notch each time the pawl is lowered, substantially as described.i

3. In combination with alifting-jack, comprising a standard, a ratchetlifting-bar, a spring-actuated pawl normally in engagement with thelifting-bar, lever mechanism for raisin-g the lifting-bar through themedium of the pawl, and a retaining device in the form of abell-cranklever normally in engagement with the lifting-bar for holding the latterin its raised position, mechanism for gradually lowering the lifting-barby the operation of the hand-lever, consisting of a deflector I,operating to guide the pawl to clear a tooth in its upward movement andengage another, and a pivoted arm I-I to be engaged by the pawl in itssaid upward movement and provided with a spring Z adapted to engage thearm lo on the retaining device to trip the said retaining device duringthe upward movement of the pawl, thereby permitting the lifting-bar tobe carried downward to the extent at least of one notch each time thepawl is lowered, substantially as described.

1i. In combination with a lifting-jack, com-y prising a standard, aratchet lifting-bar, a spring-actuated pawl normally in engagement withthe lifting-bar, lever mechanism forraising the lifting-bar through themedium of the pawl, and a retaining device in the form of a bell-cranklever normally in engagement with the lifting-bar for holding the latterin its raised position, mechanism for gradually lowering the lifting-barbythe operation of the hand-lever, consisting of a deiiector I,operating to guide the pawl to clear a tooth in its upward movement andengage another, an d an arm H, eccentrically mounted upon a rotatabledisk J, and adapted to be engaged by the pawl in its said upwardmovement, said arm being provided with a spring Z adapted to engage thearm k on the retaining device to trip the said retaining device duringthe upward movement of the pawl, thereby permitting the lifting-bar tobe carried downward to the extent at least of one notch each time thepawl is lowered, substantially as described.

5. In a lifting-jack, the combination with the standard, lifting-bar,and means on the standard for actuating the lifting-bar, said bar beingconstructed to engage the under side of a car-axle journal-box, of anadjustable attachment N on said standard, comprising a bifurcated head bhaving engaging prongs b', and an extended portion b2, constructed andarranged to operate substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

MOSES M. MOORE.

In presence of- M. J. FROST, J. H. LEE.

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